Got this from a fan named Karl…
white
So, you’re a Tau player…You can come out of the closest now.
Tau: still the shooting man’s army. As far as I can see they will have huge trouble dealing
with demons and space marine armies such as blood angels (death company), Krone,
Grey Knights and (possibly) Black templar.
Baring all that they can be summed up in one phrase – Move and shoot, move and shoot.
On a personal note I was hoping for something to deal with close combat more effectively,
alas not.
To build up the Tau force for the greater good (and to keep their grey butts in the game
as long as possible). Start with battle suits and work your way around to path finders and
hammer heads.
HQ:
The Battle suits (and the HQ’s I like; shadow sun & farsight. A regular commander is cool if
you want to test things out for future reference) are given the express purpose of up close
(12”) fire and movement (time to go mobile). This is true for your HQ choice, the HQ’s will
be focused around the battle suit units or those who can take them as bodyguards (see
shadowsun). You want to kit out the battle suits with shield generators and the HQ’s with
shield generators as well as the multi-spectrum suit (for shadowsun) and iridium armour
for the bodyguards – trust me you’ll need it. Furthermore bonding knife special rule, with
fusion & plasma rifles all around. With one in each bodyguard unit taking a heavy yield
missile pod if you are dealing with swarm/horde armies, if not go wild with your choice.
Don’t go too mad with the shiled drones for all the suits, mix up for at least 3 drones to
have burst canons for those who have wimpy armour saves (5+).
That boys and girls is your HQ choice(s) done and dusted.
Elites:
Take two riptides. Take the twin-linked plasma rifle for swarm units/armies, for the
shooting ones you’ll need fusion blaster (twin-linked). The other should have the ion
accelerator and the match the second weapon left to the first riptide, depending on the
enemy. Then take for both all the missile drones you can – just for added affect. For the
support systems you take – for both – the following: drone controller & counterfire defence
system or advanced targeting system (up to you really both are great to have, depends
how close to the enemy you allow your riptide to go).
To end your elites selection off, go with stealth suits. You have all the battle suits you need
and now its time to add some harassment into the mix.
Add to them the following: bonding knife special rule, marker light & target lock, shield
drone and missile pod drone, drone controller as well as counterfire defence system. That
should do your stealth team and the end to your elites.
Troops:
Fire warriors are still the name of the game here. Outfit your two units with shield & gun
drones (weapon of your choice), bonding knife special rule, grenades, target lock, two
devil fish which have: seeker missiles, twin-linked smart missile system and finally decoy
launchers. That my friends is your troops finished, and breath.
Fast attack:
Here come the pathfinders; show me the way boys. Take the upgrade choice for rail rifle
and ion rifle respectively for each unit. Add the following drones: Reckon drones and pulse
accelerator drones. Also blacksun filter and bonding knife special rule. All done, that was
quick – I know.
Heavy support:
Take two units of broadsides (three guys each with drones). If you should be fighting
against a swarm or horde army, kit out – and I can’t stress this enough – with missile pods
(only two per unit mind you) upgrade the third to the Shas’vre and leave it with the heavy
rail gun for that stopping power. Then for support system add multi-tracker. For good
measure put in the shield drone & marker drone. To top off this heavy support cake with
seeker missiles for all of the suits.
If your enemy isn’t swarm/horde based then take everything but leave the two broadsides
with twin-linked heavy rail guns.
To finish the heavy support slots take a hammer head with longstrike. This guy is golden
and if you’re fighting against imperial guard, even better. Take twin-linked missile drones
for this bad boy. Plus for shooting enemies take decoy launchers, for everyone else take
advanced targeting system. Heavy support – done.
Just to close out. I would of loved to of seen a little more given to the Tau; an increase
in BS would have been nice (for troops and elites at least), better warlord traits for the
general commander to choose from and for Kroot to be better close combat guys (give
them poison or something) instead of being the meat shield.